The Battlefield

The Battlefield is a square or rectangular map of one inch square spaces as commonly used in other tabletop role-playing games. Unlike some other games, however, the Battlefield is required in Dragonpact, as the rules require players to make active, tactical reactions throughout battles, especially when it isn’t their turn.

All players will require a figure to represent their character. This can be any miniature figure with a base of 32 mm (or approximately one inch) or less. Larger figures must occupy multiple spaces as indicated by their base size and the approximate number of spaces they appear to occupy.

Movement

Movement on the battlefield uses either feet or meters — One space is equal to about five feet or about one meter, whichever is preferred by the players and the DM. The only rule is consistency. Once a metric is chosen, it should be used for the entirety of the game. When a Unit (any player or enemy figure) moves, it does so a number of spaces up to its Speed. Diagonal movement is possible, but every other diagonal space moved starting with the second diagonal space costs the Unit two spaces. If you map this out, it appears approximately circular on a square grid.

[insert image of circular grid movement]

Occasionally, you might be subjected to forced movement. If movement is forced, an ability will usually specify where the target is moved to or state that the user of the ability decides where within a specific range. If a unit is forced to move into an occupied or invalid space, such as if it’s pushed away 1 space into another unit or a wall, it stops short.

Only one unit can occupy a space at a time, regardless of if movement is voluntary or forced. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as small or tiny units being smaller than a full space. A unit that is riding or carrying another unit also occupies one or more spaces of the unit it’s riding. It’s also possible to climb on top of units that are one size or larger. See Unit Sizes below for more information.

Special Types of Movement

There are many types of movement that can be used in and out of battle. Your Speed with special movement types is the same as your regular Speed value unless otherwise noted. If you have a Speed of 4 and access to Fly, when you use the Move action and use Fly, you fly up to 4 spaces. Sometimes, special movement types might specify their own Speed value, however. You might have access to Fly 8, in which case if you move normally, your Speed is 4, and if you Fly, your speed is 8.

Movement types are as follows:

Climb – Any unit can climb with a -2 penalty to their Speed, using various hand- and foot-holds on the terrain to stay their course. Units with Climb can move freely while climbing at their full Speed or at their listed Climb Speed if they have one. Units with Climb still need hand- and foot-holds to maintain their climb unless they have the access to…
Climb on Walls – As Climb, but the unit can climb freely across walls, ceilings, and any other surface. The DM might determine if the surface is too slippery to stay clung, in which case a roll of some kind might be necessary.
Crawl – Any unit can crawl with a -2 penalty to their Speed. Units with a Crawl Speed can move at their full speed, or at their listed Crawl speed if they have one.
Dig – A unit with Dig can move through the ground at full Speed, leaving behind loose dirt as they travel. Hard stone and metal can’t be dug through, usually.
Fly – Ignore terrain and fly over any obstacles, landing or hovering in place above the ground.
Swim – Move through water and other liquids at full Speed, or at your listed Swim Speed if you have one. Other units move through water with a -2 penalty. The DM might decide the liquid is too thick to move at a given rate through it, such as when moving through tar or lava.
Teleport – Teleport through space instantly as you move. Requires line of sight and effect to the space you intend to arrive at.
Walk – Also known as normal movement. All units with legs can do this. Also includes edge cases, such as units that walk on their hands, spin on their heads, pirouette about, run, skip, hop(scotch), or boogie down. If it isn’t a different type of movement already listed, it’s probably this.

Unit Sizes

Unit sizes, from smallest to largest, are as follows, including the horizontal space they occupy on the Battlefield. Height doesn’t generally factor into a unit’s size.

Tiny – Less than ½ space. One space can be occupied by up to eight tiny units or one small unit and four tiny units.
Small – ½ space. One space can be occupied by two small units.
Normal – 1 space.
Large – Between 2 and 4 spaces, depending on the volume of the creature. A unit such as a horse or a dire wolf occupies a 1×2 area. Units such as ogres and trolls occupy a 2×2 area.
Huge – Between 5 and 16 spaces. Generally occupies a 3×3 or 4×4 area, though some units such as dire snakes can occupy a line one or two spaces across and eight or more spaces long. Some units that occupy a 4×4 area have enough free space at their corners for open space to be occupied by other units. Use the unit’s miniature figure to determine if there are free spaces around a unit with a circular base.
Massive – 17 or more spaces. Any unit larger than Huge is considered Massive, from thirty foot tall Avatars of Nature all the way to planet-sized abominations.

Targeting and Area Effects

On the battlefield, there are several terms players will need to understand that describe types of area effects:

Burst – Emanates out from the source a certain number of spaces in all directions. In this case, the source of a Burst is always the unit that originated the ability or spell. Formatted as “Burst x” where x is equal to the number of spaces.
Blast – As a Burst, but centered on any space within a listed Range. Formatted as “Blast x within y range” where y is equal to the distance away from the source that the ability or spell can be centered on and x is equal to the number of spaces it emanates out from y.
Line – A line begins in a space adjacent to the source. In this case, the source of a Line is always the unit that originated the ability or spell. The Line can travel diagonally, obeying the same rules as movement. However, it must maintain its trajectory once it moves diagonally — Lines can’t curve, bend, or go around objects. For example, a line can travel three spaces forward, diagonal one space, two lines forward, and diagonal one space in succession. A line cannot travel two spaces forward, diagonal two spaces, then two spaces forward, as this would represent a line that bends while it travels. Formatted as “Line x” where x is the number of spaces the line can travel.
Cone – A Cone is a Line that expands outward as it travels. To draw a Cone area, first draw a Line. After the second space, expand the area to one space on either side of it, then two spaces on either side of the third space, then three spaces on either side of the fourth space, and so on. Formatted as “Cone x” where x is the number of spaces the cone travels outward before filling the cone area.

[need images of each aoe type]

For rule clarification, area effects always travel from the source for purposes of line of effect. This will matter in situations where line of effect can be blocked by terrain or objects. Units can never block line of effect, and the DM has the final say in whether an object is large enough to block line of effect in any given situation. Bursts and Blasts are emitted from the center, and Lines and Cones are emitted from the first space in their effect.

In addition to area effects on the Battlefield, some spells and abilities target all units of a certain allegiance, affiliation, or type regardless of range. The range of these abilities is usually listed as “Long”, and the DM is free to adjudicate exactly what that means. Generally, Long range abilities affect the entire Battlefield map, but can go farther depending on narrative circumstances. The DM is also free to adjudicate alliances as appropriate for certain abilities where required and may well change these affiliations on an ad hoc basis as mandated by the story.

Line of Sight and Line of Effect

If a unit can be seen, all units that can see it are considered to have line of sight to it. Generally speaking, if only an appendage or extremity can be seen, it doesn’t count for line of sight. At least part of the unit’s core must be visible. The DM has the final say on whether a unit has line of sight to another, and whether it applies in a given situation.

A unit can’t be targeted if there’s no line of sight to it. Area effects can still hit it. Line of effect determines whether an area effect or targeted action will work on a specific unit. The same rules as line of sight generally apply — if there is mostly uninterrupted space between the source of an effect and the unit, it can affect the unit.

The Dragonmaster determines if line of effect applies and can rule that something is blocking it. That something could be a box that the unit is ducking behind, a wall, or another unit of substantial and sufficient size. The DM can also rule that the effect is strong enough to blow away the wall and affect units behind it, or that the effect wraps around units and hits those behind. It all depends on context, and the rules intentionally leave room for Dragonmaster fiat in situations like this. It’s important to remember the Core Rules of the DM role when making decisions on gameplay mechanics such as this.